RedLight
by BraceYourselvesForImpact
Summary: NaruXMai:: It's Friday the 13th, the day before Valentine's Day, and Mai decides to visit Tokyo's red-light district after dark for a wild concert. How will a protective Naru react? Not so well.


_**Red-Light**_

-

"A concert…?" Mai questioned over the phone.

"_Yeah. I had one ticket for my boyfriend but he can't make it so I was wondering if you could go," _Michiru begged on the other side. _"Please, I don't want to go by myself, Mai."_

The girl looked over at the pile of paper she would have to file the next day. "But Michi–"

"_Please?"_

"Who's going to be playing? Where is it going to be? What time does it start? I have work to do, Michiru. I don't know if my boss will let me go."

Michiru hesitated, breathing heavily into the phone. _"It'll be at the Takaiyuen, and the doors open at 6:00, but I want to get there early so I can be in the front next to __Sakanoue Takashi-kun. __Mai, please!"_

"Fine I'll ask if I can take off for tonight, okay? I'll call you back."

Without a response from her friend, Mai slammed her cell closed. To tell the truth she had never really been to a concert besides the one on Halloween for Bou-san.

"Mai, tea," her strict boss's voice sounded throughout the small office.

…

This was her chance.

-

Mai smiled pleasantly as she sat the steaming tea upon Naru's desk. "There you go," she said politely.

He looked up accusingly. "What do you want, Mai?"

"What?" she inquired innocently, "I don't know what you're talking about." A shaky laugh escaped her lips.

"Mai, I'm not stupid," Naru replied, "now what did you come to ask me?"

"Well," she confessed, pulling up a chair to sit in as she explained her situation. "See, my friend wanted to go to this concert with her boyfriend, but he wasn't able so now she wants me to go with her."

Naru glared at her.

"–And I know you're mad and I have work to do, but please! I swear I'll make it up to you," she begged, bowing so she might win him over.

His glance was thoughtful. "It depends."

Mai almost jumped. Was she possibly winning him over? He seemed to be in a really good mood today. "You'll let me go, Naru?!"

"I said it depends. What time are you leaving?"

Her feet planted to the ground. "She says the doors open at 6:00, but she wants to get there early…" She didn't say why.

Naru's thoughtful expression faltered. "Where is it at?"

"She said it was at the Takaiyuen," Mai said quietly, smiling wearily. What was that sour face he was making all about? He was fine with it a minute ago…

"No."

To say Mai was upset was an understatement. "What? But…why 'no'?"

"Dangerous things happen in that part of Tokyo, Mai," he replied looking back at his work. "I can't afford you getting hurt."

Was he…worried?

Tears welled in the corners of her chocolate eyes. She sniffed and rubbed her nose. "B–But Naru-cha–"

"Stop acting. I gave you my answer and that's final."

_Sigh._

"Fine."

-

"_Are you serious?!" _Michiru screamed from the other line. _"He's letting you go?"_

"Y–Yeah," Mai said nervously watching her boss's door in case he was to walk out while she was talking. She couldn't bear to lie to him, but she also couldn't stand letting her best friend go to a concert by herself _especially _after what Naru had told her.

'_Dangerous things happen in that part of Tokyo, Mai…'_

'My ass.'

"_Oh my God! I totally have to thank him the next time I see him! Dude, isn't it totally ironic, though?"_

"What's ironic?" Mai asked curiously.

"_I mean the concert is on Friday the 13__th__ and then the next day is Valentine's Day! Do you have anyone you're going to give chocolates to, Mai? Like _Naru_,"_ she laughed suggestively.

"Ha-ha," she laughed as well, "_No. _That's totally not going to happen. Do you know how up-tight he is? He would never go out with anyone let alone _me_."

"_Then why is it he's letting you go to the concert with me? He can't be all that bad. A change of heart, maybe?"_

"Uh…Sure," Mai said slowly.

-

"Hey, Naru~"

"What?" her boss questioned sharply, yanking his new cup of tea away from her.

Awkward silence traveled over the couple. "Maybe you should rethink not letting m–"

"No."

Mai frowned. "Geez, what is your problem? I just want to go to a freaking concert; that's all! What's so bad about that?" she reasoned, slamming her fists in front of him. Papers flew off of the desk.

Naru rested his chin in his palm. "Mai, I already told you."

"I'll be fine! I can totally protect myself. The one I'm worried about is Michi–"

"Mai, regardless of who _you_ care about, I still won't approve of you going. That area is too dangerous for a girl like you to be alone in," her boss replied angrily.

Mai flinched. "A girl like me?" she laughed harshly, "I'm not _that_ weak Nar–"

The next thing she knew, her boss's face was only a few inches away from hers and his hand had a vice-grip on her arm.

He growled. "Do you seriously think that? That you're not weak? I could kill you in less than a minute if I wanted to, Mai."

She gulped nervously as she looked for an escape. "N–Naru…" she whispered.

"Now, I suggest you go in there and do the work you're supposed to like a _good _assistant," he ordered, pointing towards the exit like she was a dog.

Mai's head was down. She didn't even nod; just slammed the door behind her.

-

Lin grabbed for the Tylenol. "Valentine's Day is close up and _this _is how they act? Both of them are mentally challenged or something. No chocolate for Naru tomorrow."

-

"_Mai? Hey, are you ready to go? My boyfriend says he can pick you up at your job, but he has to go as soon as he drops us off at the Takaiyuen."_

"Yeah, yeah. Okay, tell him I'll be waiting outside. Naru's in a bad mood so we shouldn't bother him, okay?" Mai whispered nervously, still rubbing her arm. That was a scary run-in to say the least.

PMSing maybe?

"_Okay, we'll see you there."_

_Beep…beep…beep…_

Mai closed her cell and sighed, grabbing her jacket and her bag from the coat hanger. She leaned up against the door and looked through the small glass window, her breath forming a foggy film.

Maybe she should stay and tell Michiru she was sick or something…?

Maybe Naru was right?

Hell, Naru _was_ right.

But if _Michiru _went alone then what would happen to her?

She couldn't risk it.

Opening the door as quietly as possible, Mai snuck out of the SPR office and into the cold night air. Only 5:15, she noticed. She hoped Michiru was happy because she sure as hell wasn't.

-

"_This_ is it?" Mai asked getting out of the car.

Michiru waved as her boyfriend drove away. "Yup. This is the Takaiyuen. Let's go before someone else gets our spot!" She squealed in excitement, but it didn't seem as…_grand_ as Mai would have thought.

A small, dilapidated brick building that seemed to tower over them like a monster. Yes, definitely_ smaller_ than Mai thought.

The two hurriedly got in line for pre-paid tickets and pushed their way inside. To Michiru's pleasure, they got in the very front on the right side of the stage where _Takashi-kun_ would be standing. Unfortunately for _Mai_, she was right in front of the speakers.

Soon people started crowding in behind them, pushing and pulling on others so they could get a better spot.

The bad thing about it all was…the band that Michiru was waiting to see was the very last one. It was only 7:14 and Mai's feet were already hurting.

'And…and what the hell is this?' Mai thought to herself, adding on to her list of things to not like about the place. She leaned against the railing to find a sharp point sticking out, poking into her jeans.

Who knows…?

It was probably to keep the screaming fangirls away.

-

For the fifth time, Naru called out to his assistant for tea.

Why wasn't she answering? Was she still mad at him? Maybe he had been a little too harsh on her? She just wanted to go to a concert, after all…

He stood and stalked out of his office slowly, unwilling to face her.

"Mai?" he asked, sticking his head out of the doorway apprehensively.

_She was gone._

His eyes traveled over towards the coat rack where she usually hung her blue jacket and her bag.

_Those were gone, too._

'Lucy, you gots some splainin' to do.'

-

Atakku Atakku was the first band which, _thank god_, was over at 7:40. The pushing was a little worse than the next two bands, Haro-Kashou and Kuroshio, who, Mai guessed, were relatively new in the band business.

Finally it was time for the last band, Mai concluded. It was 8:42 and she was more than ready to leave. Michiru seemed to be having a lot of fun, though.

The pushing got worse until the point where the railing seemed to dig into Mai's hips. She screamed out in pain, but no one could hear over the loud music.

"Tonsou za Gouhou! Tonsou za Gouhou! Tonsou za Gouhou!" The crowd chanted as they pushed against each other. Girls screamed as the band members filed onto the stage.

"Hey! How are you doing, Tokyo?" the lead singer, Mai guessed was Sakanoue Takashi, said into the mike.

Insert more screams.

"As you know, we are Tonsou za Gouhou and we're on tour right now so we're really excited to be here…"

His voice faded as a hand landed on Mai's shoulder and pulled her back, away from Michiru.

The hand was wet and warm. Mai couldn't even see who was holding her. As she was dragged throughout the crowd, the path caved in and someone probably took her spot against the railing next to Michiru.

Her boss's name escaped her lips before she could stop it. "NARU!"

"Shut up!" her captor yelled harshly, yanking her out the door.

He turned her around and pushed her up against the broken brick wall. Tears streaked down Mai's face. She sobbed and sniffed uncontrollably, but when nothing else happened, she looked up, curious.

"Naru?" she cried.

Naru punched the wall to the side of Mai's head. "You idiot! How stupid do you get?" His hands traveled down her arms, checking for cuts or bruises. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Red flooded Mai's cheeks. "A–Actually…" she held her side that had been pushed into the rail gently.

"Lift up your shirt," he demanded.

"Excuse me?!"

"I'm telling you to lift up your shirt, Mai. I'm not going to say it again."

'Well, it should be okay, I mean he is just my boss–but I like him more than an assistant _should_ like her boss! Why do these situations always lead to Naru having to strip me?! Why is life so complicated?!'

"No," she protested, holding her shirt down.

"I'm not asking you," he replied.

In the blink of an eye, Mai's shirt had been peeled from her sweaty stomach. She struggled against him, but his grip was firm.

Mai glanced down seeing a large bruise that was just forming on her side. "Ouch!" she hissed when Naru ran his fingers over it. To top it off, she also had several others along her legs.

"This is exactly why I was against letting you come, Mai," her boss sighed, glaring up at her. He stood up.

"But you said dangerous things happen in this part of Tokyo, right? If I didn't come then Michiru might get hurt and–"

Right then, a man strolled past them in a drunken stupor. He looked over at them and grinned. Naru leaned over Mai protectively and watched him until he was gone.

He let out another sigh. "Men like that _prowl_ for innocent girls like you, Mai. You need to be careful."

"I am careful!"

"Not careful enough," he replied.

-

"_Mai? Are you okay? I was so worried when the concert was over and I couldn't find you anywhere! Did you go home?"_ Michiru questioned worriedly.

Mai crossed her legs on the SPR couch and set down her hot cup of tea to make sure she wouldn't spill it. "Yeah," she sighed and replied with a breath. "I wasn't feeling too good so I left. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"_Oh, well I hope you're feeling better today."_

"I am. How was the rest of the concert?"

"_Oh, it was totally awesome! I stole one of the drum sticks from the drummer of Tonsou za Gouhou. How many people get to do that?! Oh, happy Valentine's Day, by the way."_

"Thanks. Anyway, I have to go; angry boss on the loose. See you later."

"_Bye!"_

Mai sighed and flipped her cell closed. She was so relieved that Michiru was okay. She wouldn't know what to do if she wasn't.

"Hey, Naru!" she smiled pleasantly at the man who had just left his office.

"Shouldn't you be filing papers?" he scowled down at her.

"But it's Valentine's Day!" Mai complained flailing her arms at him.

To her surprise, he sat down next to her. "You never seemed to complain during Valentine's Day before now."

"B–But…I feel bad and my body's sore and I'm tired and my feet hurt and I need to take a bath and…and it's Valentine's Day, Naru! Have you no compassion?"

"Not for those who don't respect their boss's wishes and do as they say like not going to a concert in Tokyo's akasen district after dark," he replied.

As if she didn't feel bad enough as it was.

-

Okay, I know this was late, but I just started writing this after one hell of a concert. Yeah, it was based off of one of my own experiences.

Anyway, since this is late, I thought I'd be extra sweet for you guys and write more:

-

"Besides, Ayako promised me she'd take me shopping with Masako today!"

"No," Naru sat back and watched Mai's expression change from hopeless to…even more hopeless. "I think your bruises are _far _too severe. You should stay here…at the office…and do some filing."

"Wahh!" she fake cried just as the door opened.

"Happy Valentine's Day! You ready to go shopping, Mai?" Ayako exclaimed from the entrance of the SPR office. With her were Bou-san and a wagon full of chocolates.

"Hey, Mai, Naru," Takigawa nodded to his boss.

Mai's brown eyes lit up at the sight of candy. "Whoa! Looks like someone hit jackpot."

"Yeah, yeah, the ladies love me!" he laughed, ruffling Mai's hair.

"Ouch!" she yelped, drawing back. The occupants of the room all stared at her. "I don't know why, but that really hurt. Like someone dropped a few bricks on my head or something…"

Naru was actually the one to check it out. He gently cradled her face against his chest and ran his fingers through her hair. Mai wanted to die right then.

"Ah," he murmured, finding the sore spot, "You have a giant bump on your head. You must have done something last night."

"Hey, hey! What happened last night?!" With wide eyes, Ayako took Bou-san by the shoulders and shook him. The monk shrugged.

How should he know? No one ever tell him _anything_.

"Mai decided it would be fun to visit Tokyo's akasen last night after dark to go to a concert with a friend," Naru replied, frowning.

"Mai!" Ayako exclaimed.

"Eh," Takigawa shrugged again, "put some Windex on it."


End file.
